Smallville: Shades of Grey
by Achuris
Summary: How will things turn out when Smallville's dynamic duo, fleeing a Earth conquered by Darkseid, appears in the past? What different choices will Clark & Chloe make when they stop seeing the world in absolutes and start to see the shades of grey? Will they be able to make the hard choices when they realize that sometimes you must lie, cheat, and steal to win a war... A/U-Chlark
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer-** I do not own Smallville or its characters. Nor am I in any way making profit off of it. This is purely for entertainment value._

_**AN:** I think like others, I feel Smallville in its last few seasons, was filled with missed opportunities and outright stupid plot lines. (The Chlark angle from the end of season 1 was one of the biggest 'misses' as far as I'm concerned) In fact, by the start of season 7, the series was effectively being flushed down the toilet. IMO. So, to this day there are some episodes from seasons 7, 8, 9, 10 that I have not actually seen. Nor am I in a rush to do so. That being said, I still got the pertinent plot points. Kara showing up-then disappearing into future, (what's the point of bringing in such a character, if she's going to turn around and disappear?) Chloe marrying Jimmy "The Infuriator" Olsen (insert eye roll), the completely unnecessary and idiotic season 9 Kandorian plot line, Zod 2.0, the whole Blur thing, the Clois slant-when the two actors involved didn't have any chemistry together wasn't even remotely believable to me, Darkseid the badest bad-ass that he is, has his plot line resolved in a single season where he ultimately tries to ram Apokolips into Earth. Seriously?! If I didn't know any better, I'd say all these ideas came from bad fan fiction writers. Just for the record, it wasn't me..._

_**SUMMARY:** Basically in my version of Smallville, the Darkseid plot line in Season 10 is played out over 2 years instead of just one. However, thanks to Clark being a Lana obsessed, whiny bitch, the good guys are not prepared for Darkseid's attack. With the Armies of Apokolips swarming out of Boom Tubes across the Earth, the JLA is quickly overwhelmed. Clark ends up using the Crystal from "Reckoning" to go back in time to the beginning of the Smallville series. For those screaming "Jor-El said Clark could only use that crystal once." First, Jor-El didn't want Clark to get used to having a "reset button." That's right, Jor-El knew Clark was a whiny bitch, too. Secondly, if Clark used the crystal to travel back in time, he would arrive before he used the crystal to begin with. Therefore, the crystal would be available for use again. You got to love those time paradoxes..._

_Anyway, Clark arrives in 2001 in his 15-year old body. He'll use his knowledge of the coming 11 years to his advantage. He'll be a more mature Clark Kent. (**Not**a whiny bitch.) This Smallville redux will also be more realistic. The unnecessary teenage angst/drama will be toned down. The characters won't be restricted to network approved language. That's right people, teenagers use fowl language. You know, like in the real world. Clark will not always see things as only black & white. He will see the gray areas too, where sometimes you might have to lie, cheat and steal a bit to stop the bad guys. I hope everyone enjoys THIS Smallville._

_**For Geographic Reference:** Metropolis replaces Kansas City, Kansas. With the Kansas & Missouri Rivers passing through parts of town and a man-made lake near down town Metropolis. This explains the shots of Smallville's Metropolis being near a large body of water I have seen, even though we all know Kansas is land locked. And to fit the "You can see the Metropolis skyline from Smallville" reference & explain the easy Smallville-Metropolis commutes for the characters, Smallville replaces the real town of Lawrence, Kansas. With the Nearby Clinton Lake being replaced by Crater Lake.(google map it) Also, the on screen references to Metropolis being 2 to 3 hours away from Smallville, I will leave as exaggerations by the show's characters. Metropolis will be around 30-60 minutes away, depending on what part of the city a person is coming from or going to._

_Anyway, on with the show..._

_**SMALLVILLE**_

_**SHADES OF GREY**_

**Fortress Of Solitude**

**Northeast Greenland National Park, Greenland**

**July 4, 2012**

**Prologue**

**Last Two Standing**

Fifty five days...

Who knew that an entire world could be conquered in less than two months? Who knew that when the invasion began, that the Heroes of the Justice League would find themselves so ill prepared? Or that on the same day that humanity's freedom died, there would only be two Justice League members left alive?

Clark Kent and Chloe Queen certainly hadn't.

"We don't have much time. Darkseid will detect the power spike from the portal." Stated Clark, immediately after they were transported from the Kawachi Caves to the Fortress.

Looking at him expectantly, Chloe zipped up her jacket and stuffed her hands in her pockets in an attempt to ward off the cold. "Why the hell are we here, Clark?" She asked.

"To stop Darkseid. We still have one last shot to save Earth." Replied Clark in a tired voice.

It was difficult for him to remember ever being this worn out. For the last six days, they hadn't been able get more than an hour or two of sleep before Darkseid and his Armies of Apokolips would start to close in on their position. Clark had been flying them back and forth across the globe in a effort to keep them one step ahead of their pursuers.

As they now stood in the last physical evidence of a once great civilization, Chloe's sardonic wit surfaced for the first time in days.

"Are you sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?" She asked with a smirk and a sideways glance.

"Ah, there's my girl. I was starting to wonder where you'd gone to." Returned Clark with a gentle smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into an equally gentle hug.

"Yeah, well being a fugitive on a conquered world is bad enough, but having your husband turned bad-guy General, leading the manhunt for you is worse." Replied Chloe with a grimace.

"Chloe... I'm sorry about Oliver..."

"Oliver turning on us is not your fault, Clark. He had insecurities about our relationship from the beginning. Darkseid used those insecurities to mess with his head." Returned Chloe, with a determined tone. "So, how do we stop Darkseid from here?"

"By using the time crystal..." Answered Clark, advancing toward the Fortresses' control pillar.

"Time crystal?" Chloe asked, trailing behind Clark. "Wait, you don't mean that crystal you used to undo Lana's death to you? How's that going to help? Won't we just end up right back where we are now? Darkseid will still attack."

"Chloe, we're partly in this situation because of the many mistakes I've made. I wasn't ready for this fight. And because I wasn't ready, the League wasn't ready." Replied Clark, looking over the control pillar's crystals carefully.

"Clark, I know you like to take blame for everything..."

"Chloe, this isn't about assigning blame. It's about accepting responsibility. I resisted Jor-El and embracing my destiny for years-" Clark said absently as he moved several crystals to new slots on the pillar's interface.

"Yeah. Well, I thought that crystal was a one time thing anyway..." Said Chloe, moving closer to observe what her companion was doing.

Clark turned to look at Chloe with a raised eye brow. "You're forgetting about the time paradox that resulted in me using it."

"Come again?" Asked Chloe, raising an eye brow of her own.

"When I used it, time was reset to a time before I used it. Therefore, it's here to be used for the first time." Clark couldn't hold back a small smirk. "Again..."

With that, Chloe pinned him with squinted eyes. "You're a college drop-out. How the Hell did you get so smart?" Even under their current circumstances, Clark couldn't help but smile at hearing patented 'Chloe Sullivan' snark. Something he had been hearing less and less of since her marriage to Oliver. He missed it. "Wait, Jor-El said if you saved Lana, another life would be lost to keep the books balanced. If we do it this time to save all the people that have died because of Darkseid..."

"_**Kal-El! You must not-"**_ Boomed the Fortresses' AI, before being cut off as Clark quickly removed a crystal from the control pillar.

"What the hell?" Chloe exclaimed as she jerked her head to look at the crystal Clark now held in his hand.

"This crystal," Continued Clark, with a nod toward the crystal he held. "contains the Jor-El AI. I didn't want him interfering..."

"But, Clark..." Said Chloe with a still worried tone.

"Jor-El just didn't want me to grow accustomed with the idea of having the ability to reshape fate on a whim. That kind of thinking could easily lead a person or specifically a Kryptonian, to start to believe they're a god." Said Clark, as he tossed the crystal to the ground.

Chloe looked around the Fortress, slowly completing a full circle. She took a deep breath before facing Clark and speaking again. "Yeah, OK, lets do it."

Clark suddenly got a very uncomfortable air about him. Chloe knew in that instant, what he was about to say to her. He was about to jet off and ditch her. Chloe started to feel a panic she'd felt before. It was the panic she always felt when Clark ran off to save the world. This time however, the panic continued to build like it never had before.

"Clark, you have to take me with you!" She blurted out, her fear clear to hear.

"Chloe-" Started Clark with a gentle voice.

"Clark, please. You're not really going to leave me behind are you?" Asked Chloe, pleading with Clark to deny it.

Before Clark could respond, a distant but still loud explosion shook the Fortress.

"They're here Chloe. Without the AI, it won't take them long to get past the Fortresses' defenses. We don't have time to argue."

"Clark!" Cried Chloe. Now on the verge of tears.

Clark took a step closer to Chloe after another explosion caused several pieces of crystal to fall from above. "Chloe, as soon as I leave, none of this will have happened... Time will be reset."

"But, it won't be reset, it'll be erased! You're leaving me here to die!" Responded Chloe, with tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

The unexpected waterworks caught Clark by surprise. Chloe had been such a font of strength during this entire ordeal. To suddenly see her at her breaking point was disconcerting and worrying.

"Chloe, you're not going to die or be erased. You'll be safe." Reassured Clark, now speaking in a firm voice. Silently, promising to himself to protect her for as long as he had a single breath of life left within his body. Even from her husband, regardless of the man Oliver Queen used to be.

"No Clark, She'll be safe. The teenage girl that I'm not anymore. But, the me that's standing with you now, will be gone forever!" Returned Chloe, in a raised voice. Now shaking from her fear of being left behind more than the Fortresses' near-zero temperature.

Clark, finally understanding what Chloe was so scared of, fought his own tears. Clark couldn't hold back from touching her any longer. Without thought, Clark found himself cupping Chloe's cheeks in his hands. Her breath noticeably hitched at the contact. Chloe, now having his attention, even over the now constant booms coming from outside, continued on.

"Clark, we both know that the big world in the balance choices are not the only things that we both want and need to fix."

"Clark, the last ten years of my life is a big part of what made me the woman I am now. If you don't take me with you, a decade of my life experiences will be gone forever. The teenaged Chloe Sullivan will have different experiences from me. She'll end up being a completely different woman."

Dropping his hands back to his sides, Clark could no longer hold Chloe's gaze, suddenly feeling guilty about what he nearly did to her without thought. She was right. She would have been dead, never to be seen again. So concerned about keeping others from harming her and he nearly killed her himself!

Chloe now seeing that she had gotten through to him, pushed her point home. "Clark, for the first time in years, I can feel that connection we shared when we were younger. "

Before Clark could respond, a harsh voice in the distance broke the moment. "Chloe! I know you're here..."

They both knew the voice well. Oliver Queen, newly appointed General in Darkseid's Armies of Apokolips, cried out in search of his wife. The wife that was forced to abandon him when she realized that she lost him to Darkseid.

"Olie." Whispered Chloe in a sad tone, looking toward the sound of Oliver's voice.

Clark gently pulled Chloe into his arms with one hand, "OK, Chloe, OK. We'll go together." while reaching out to take the time crystal from the control pillar with the other. Looking from the crystal, over to Chloe, Clark said aloud what Chloe still had not. "And maybe the big, world in the balance moments are not the only things we can change..."

Chloe locked eyes with Clark, letting them each see the reawakened love in the others eyes. The love that they only briefly touched upon when they were children. A love that frightened them so much in it's intensity, that neither allowed themselves anything more than a glimpse of it's potential in all the years that followed.

Chloe seeing the intensity in Clark's eyes, started to speak. "Clark, I... I still-" She was cut off as they both were consumed by a bright light just as a Kryptonite tipped arrow passed through where they were standing a moment before.

_A/N- I might adjust this slightly. Haven't decided if I got everything I wanted in it. Reviews would be great._


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **As I was going through episodes from season one to decide the best place to drop Clark & Chloe, I started to notice a few things that are now bugging me. Like for example, that every episode looks like it's in the middle of summer. That lead to realizing that winter was apparently skipped. Even though they would be attending classes with cold weather & snow on the ground. Plus, the episode "cool" has crater lake frozen over, even though there is zero snow on the ground & everyone is wearing light coats. Sorry, I noticed. But this is how my brain works. :) Just saying... Anyway, I decided to add in the skipped winter. This chapter starts after "jitters" and before "rogue"._

_**SMALLVILLE**_

_**SHADES OF GREY**_

**Sullivan Residence**

**Smallville, Kansas, U.S.A.**

**Saturday, December 15, 2001**

**9:33 AM CST**

**Chapter 1**

**Fifteen Again**

"Sweety, you going to sleep the day away?"

Chloe slowly opened her eyes. Awareness coming to her in stages. The first thing she realized was that she was back in her old bedroom. The bedroom she had during high school to be exact.

"What the Hell..." She mumbled to herself.

"Chloe, honey. Wake up!"

"Clark?" Chloe asked as she turned her head. She quickly sat up as her eyes locked on the smiling face of her father, Gabe Sullivan.

"I'm not really sure I approve of my little girl waking up with the name of a boy on her lips." Scolded Gabe in mock seriousness.

"Daddy?" Chloe asked in confusion, still looking up at her father.

Gabe moved toward the bedroom door, stopping long enough to throw his daughter a famous Gabe Sullivan zinger. "By the way, your dreamboat called earlier. Asked for you to call him you got up."

And with that, Chloe found herself alone. She quickly flung the covers from her bed and dived for the phone.

* * *

**Kent Farm**

**9:36 AM CST**

**Altitude 4,000 ft.**

Clark Kent hovered just above the Kansas cloud cover. Soaking up all the direct sunlight he couldn't get from the ground on this cloudy day. The moment he arrived in the past, he could feel his diminished strength. So, after completing his morning chores, he took to the sky, knowing it would still be a few hours before Chloe would wake up. As if on queue, he could faintly hear his mother calling out for him. He quickly descended to the ground. Landing on the far side of the barn, Clark sped to the house, stoping right in front of his mother.

Martha flinched back. "Clark, don't do that!"

"Sorry mom. What did you need?" Replied Clark with a soft smile.

"Chloe is on the phone." Said Martha, holding out the cordless phone.

"Thanks mom." Taking the phone from his mother, Clark spoke into the receiver. "Chloe?"

"Clark, you jackass!" An exasperated voice answered him. "We travel through time to save the world and you go and let me sleep in?"

Clark couldn't help but smile as he walked away from his mother. "Chloe, we got more than a decade. I think we'll be fine even with you sleeping in."

"That's not the point shithead!" At that, Clark couldn't contain his good cheer.

After letting his laughter trail off, he continued. "Chloe, remember what we did on December 15th 2001? First day of Christmas break freshman year?"

There was a pause as Chloe thought back. "Wait, wasn't that right after the Earl Jenkins episode at the plant?"

"Exactly, and right after that there was a lull in weird crap happening until we went back to school in January. I thought it would be a good time for us to get used to being, well, fifteen again."

"I remember now. We went Christmas shopping all day." Chloe said in a slightly wistful voice. "A good day..."

"A very good day." Clark agreed. Looking down at his watch, he continued. "It's just after 9:30. I'll be by to get you around 10:30. We got a lot to talk about."

_Click_

Chloe pulled the phone away from her ear with an incredulous look on her face. Not believing that Clark Kent had the nerve to hang up on her.

"Shithead." She said out loud, with narrowed eyes.

* * *

**Ihop**

**Smallville, Kansas**

**12:07 PM CST**

Clark and Chloe sat at a booth near the front overlooking Main Street, enjoying each others company as they haven't in a long time. Chloe looked up at Clark with mischief in her eyes. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she spoke. "You realize I'm obligated to make you suffer for this right?"

Clark's brow furrowed in confusion. "What for?"

Clark looked at Chloe and watched as not only her right eye brow arch, but her nostrils flare as she responded. "What for? How bout that I'm going through puberty again or that I woke up a virgin! The latter of which I had to rectify myself!"

Unfortunately, Clark chose that moment to take a drink of his coffee. Choking on what he didn't spray the table with, Clark verbalized his embarrassment. "Chloe!"

Chloe leaned toward Clark with a self-satisfied look on her face. " That was for hanging up on me earlier." She said before taking another bite of her omelet and chewing with a 'take that' smirk firmly in place.

Clark continued to cough as he cleaned up the coffee he sprayed the table with.

Watching Clark with an innocent expression, Chloe couldn't resist asking. "You done over there?"

"Are you?" Replied Clark with a bit of Sullivan-esque snark.

Chloe shook her head with a playful twinkle in her eye. As they smiled at each other, Chloe mused to herself that carrying the _'Weight of the World'_ seemed just a bit easier now.

And that Kryptonian time travel technology came in handy from time to time.

* * *

**Kent Farm**

**Friday, December 21, 2001**

**7:33 AM CST**

As dawn broke other the horizon, the peacefulness enveloping the Kent family farm was broken by the surprised wail of a cat as a pair of legs appeared out of thin air next to it.

"Sorry, Pebbles." Clark called out as he watched the cat run down the porch steps headed for the barn at top speed. Clark's passenger, raised her brow in question as he placed her back on her feet next to him.

"We've been here less than a week and you already have a new pet?" Chloe asked.

"No, she's a stray." Clark said absently watching the cat run through the snow, then dart inside the barn. Turning back to Chloe, Clark finally noticed the funny look she was giving him. "What?"

"You named a stray cat?" Chloe asked, skeptically.

"Yeah."

"And you named her, Pebbles?"

"She's calico" Clark said a bit defensive as Chloe just continued to look at him.

"Look, Fruity Pebbles was my favorite cereal, OK? Don't make it into something!" Clark said in exasperation.

"No, it's fine. Cute even..." She replied, looking away as she bit her lip.

"Shut up." Clark said, as he stomped past her into the house.

Chloe smiled as she followed him into the house.

"So, you going to tell me why I had to wait until after dawn to come and get you, instead of at six this morning like I wanted?" Clark asked, watching Chloe close the door behind them.

"Uh, hello? Fifteen year old girl here. What if my dad had seen I was gone? The last thing I need to deal with while working to alter the time-line, is to get grounded." Chloe responded tartly, as she took a seat at the kitchen island.

Clark sat down next to her, shaking his head. "Sorry, going from twenty-six to fifteen again is taking a little getting used to."

They both were quiet while they let Clark's words sink in. Both still amazed that they were reliving their High School years. That is until the workaholic in Chloe couldn't sit idle any longer. She pulled her messenger bag from her shoulder and extracted a sizable stack of papers. Chloe handed them over to Clark.

"Chloe, we're supposed to brain storm strategies today. My parents left for Granville this morning. And with the snow storm that will force them to stay there overnight, they're going to be gone until almost noon tomorrow. That's why I suggested we do this to today." He said before looking down at the stack of papers in front of him.

"Yeah, I know. But, I got a few ideas last night. So, after my dad went to bed, I borrowed his pc." Chloe defended. "By the way, I already miss Watchtower. The processing power of civilian pc's right now are pathetic!" She said, finishing with a sour expression.

It took Clark less than a minute to go through Chloe's papers. When he finished, he looked over at Chloe, with an unhappy expression.

"Now I know what your knee jerk reaction is, but just stop and think about it." She said hastily.

"Go through it one thing at a time."

Clark did exactly that. Taking another look through Chloe's late night ideas to prepare for Darkseid. An hour-long argument ensued. Chloe pointed out repeatedly, that they were in essence, fighting a war and inflicting casualties upon the enemy was a part of war. Clark argued that what she was asking him to do, didn't involve their struggle against Darkseid. Chloe responded that they couldn't afford to get tunnel vision, pointing out that they were waging a war against evil. And that while Darkseid was the very definition of evil, he was far from the only evil. There were plenty of Earth bound _'evil doers'_ to go around. So, if fighting an Earth bound evil now could help them prepare to fight Darkseid later, so much the better.

After glancing down at the papers again, Clark took a deep breath before pushing them to the side and turned back toward Chloe. Chloe could sense that while Clark was still highly uncomfortable with her plan, he was nearly convinced. So she continued. "Both Oliver and Lex have shown how having large financial reserves can help a person achieve their goals. Regardless whether those goals are for good or ill."

"I agree with that, but where you're suggesting that we get that kind of money..."

"I know. Innocent people will almost surely get caught in the crossfire, but people are already being caught in the crossfire down there. Have been for years, but at least this way, in the long run... "

"In the long run we'll be protecting more people, than not. I know. I really do, but it goes against everything I've ever done before. Chloe, innocent people will die. And I'll be the cause, even indirectly." Said Clark with pain filled eyes.

Chloe looked away from Clark for a moment, then turned to lock her now somber eyes with his. "Yeah, Clark. So will I. It's my plan after-all. And you'll probably think I'm a heartless bitch for saying this, but no matter how much we wish it was different, there are always civilian casualties in war. This is different because we're going to be starting conflicts in order to prevent even bigger ones. Those are scary thoughts. I mean think about it Clark, when did we ever actually attack the _'bad guys'_? We were almost always reacting rather than acting."

Now feeling guilty seeing the look on Clark's face, Chloe reached out to take Clark's hand in her own. "I just need you to remember, that even with all our knowledge of the future combined with your abilities, we still won't be able to save everyone... "

Clark looked down at their hands turning his hand over and entwining his fingers with hers, before looking back up. "Yeah, you're right. It may not be sitting well with me, but I know you're right."

After a late breakfast, they moved to Clark's computer in his bedroom. Several hours later found them operating as always, like a well oiled investigative machine. Neither failed to notice that even with Clark poping in and out to conduct surveillance or confirming information, that they were in a state of almost constant physical contact while in the same room.

They both knew that they were speeding toward a necessary personal conversation. As the hours slipped by, they were each growing more on edge. Strangely enough unlike years of the past, neither was worried that they weren't on the same page at the same time, but worried because they were fairly certain that they were.

Over eight hours later found Chloe sitting on the living room floor in front of the fireplace, with a blanket wrapped around herself. They had gotten alot done for the day. Chloe was now waiting for Clark to return from his last task of the day. Making sure the Kent cattle were readied for the coming storm. The fireplace was having an almost hypnotic affect on her. As she continued to watch the flames before her, Chloe thought back through the years. Specifically, all that she and Clark had been through together.

As her thoughts drifted to and fro, she lost count of how many times that they had moments where they could have moved beyond just friendship. But for the first time in her life, she could no longer remember why. All of the endless reasons that both of them had used in years past now seemed like so much time wasted.

The cordless phone ringing next to her broke her spell. After seeing her home number on the caller ID, she answered bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hey, dad."

"I'm good. How bout you? Sounds like you had a long day."

"Yeah, I saw the snow. Sorry, I guess Clark and I lost track of time."

"No, dad. You don't need to be driving in this weather. I can just stay here."

"Dad, Clark's parents called earlier saying they were going to stay the night in Granville. Mr. Kent said he didn't want to risk the drive home."

"That means that when you live in Kansas and a Kansas Farmer born and bred, like Mr. Kent won't drive in the weather, maybe you should follow his expert example."

"Yes I'm sure."

"Dad! Clark is a responsible farmer's son..."

"He's outside taking care of the moo-cows."

"No, dad. I don't think he's setting them up in the local hotels..."

"Me? I'm the smart one. I'm sitting in front of a nice relaxing and warm fire."

"Alright. I'll call you tomorrow. And dad, your off until after Christmas, it's OK to relax."

"Yeah, I love you too. Bye."

Chloe sat the phone back down on the coffee table. As she leaned back against the couch, she glanced over at Clark's flannel shirt draped over the Couch's nearby arm. She remembered that he took it off before going outside. She reached out and pulled it into her lap. Once again her thoughts drifted to Clark and their always more than just friends, but never quite lovers relationship. And again she was consumed with the uncomfortable feeling of precious time being wasted.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe pushed herself to her feet, heading for the bathroom, taking Clark's shirt with her.

_'Time to stop wasting time and grab hold of what you want. That's the least the world owes the two of you.' _Was her only thought.

When Clark came in nearly an hour later, he found Chloe still sitting on the floor near the fireplace, with blanket firmly wrapped around her. Except she wasn't quite as alone as he left her. Laying on the Coffee table, sound asleep, laid Pebbles the stray cat. As Clark drew closer, Chloe looked up at him with a smile.

Holding her finger up to her lips, Chloe whispered. "She just fell asleep."

"How did you get her in here?" Clark asked in bafflement, matching Chloe's whisper.

"A gentle voice and a slice of roast-beef from the frig. I saw her out on the porch shivering and looking pathetic."

"Chloe..."

"Clark, no offense, but could you go get cleaned up? You kind of stink." Chloe requested while covering her nose.

Clark looked down at himself. Just now realizing he looked exactly like what he was. A farmer fresh in from the fields. "Sorry, give me a few minutes. I'll be right back." Clark said, quickly zipping upstairs.

Fifteen minutes later, Clark walked down the stairs freshly showered, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

"Hey." Clark said quietly, getting Chloe's attention.

"Hey, there handsome." She replied with a ear to ear grin.

"Handsome huh?" Asked Clark, with a raised brow.

"Yeah."

"I smell good too." Clark added in a slightly shy voice, turning away to look out the kitchen window.

"My nose thanks you." Replied Chloe with a light chuckle.

"So, I guess we have a conversation that's been waiting since we got back..." Clark started, hesitantly.

That made Chloe laugh out loud. "Actually, I think its been waiting quite a while longer than a single week, Clark."

"Yeah, you're right. And while we both may know what we need to talk about, I'm lost as to where to start, Chloe" Clark said slightly fidgeting, still facing away from her.

Clark was still trying to organize his thoughts when he felt Chloe's hand on his shoulder. Without even thinking about it, Clark allowed Chloe's hand to turn him to face her. It took Clark's mind several seconds to register what he was seeing. Chloe stood before him wearing what appeared to be one of his flannel shirts and nothing else. The flannel shirt that he took off earlier and left on the couch to be exact.

Chloe seeing that Clark still needed a moment to collect his thoughts spoke softly. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I pretty much came to the same conclusion myself, while you were still outside. So, I thought maybe we could hold off on the talking part until tomorrow and work on the other part tonight."

Clark finally able get his voice working again, responded with a slight stutter. "Wha- What other part, Chlo?"

Chloe started to slowly and seductively unbutton the shirt she was wearing. Seconds later, the shirt was open and falling to the living-room floor. Clark's assumption about what Chloe was or more accurately, not wearing was confirmed as Chloe now stood in front of him naked.

"The super hot sex part, Clark."

_***A/N: **Sorry, it took so long. I originally planned to get this out 2 or 3 weeks after the first. But, as I work retail right now, I got distracted by Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Not mention that I ended up changing this part big time from my original thought. And although I hate to admit it, I rushed this part a bit. So, I might end up adding to this later. Thanks for reading. _


End file.
